Please tell us about yourself !

[Mike Moss]

Hi all,

 

I've been thinking about Classic Banjo, its current situation and its future, and I'd like to start a debate on this subject. From what I've seen, despite the fact that it we seem to mostly target our fellow banjoists from other styles of playing, there are quite a number of musicians who have come to CB from non-banjo backgrounds -- lutenists, early music players, guitarists, ragtime musicians...

 

This diversity of origins shows that there is a broader appeal to CB rather than simply being a "niche within a niche" of the banjo world. It also has much appeal for those of us who like to dig into old books and do historical research (as in early music) and with genres which are not covered by other banjo styles, such as ragtime and light classical.

 

In order to get the ball rolling, I'll introduce my own musical journey and how I started playing CB. I started out playing the piano for quite a number of years, and I studied in several schools. I didn't enjoy it much, however, and as soon as my parents stopped putting pressure on me, my interest in the piano waned. I was drawn to baroque music, however, and I became interested in fretted instruments when I saw a beautiful lute in a music store which cost a small fortune. It was far beyond my meagre means, however, and my search for an affordable student lute proved fruitless. I then began to study the guitar, which I persevered with for two years, but which I never really enjoyed, as well as the violin, which a friend of mine taught me how to play. I hardly play either of those instruments nowadays. One day, however, I got my hands on a balalaika, which someone had brought back from Russia. It was a rather poor-quality instrument, but I was drawn to its simplicity and its repertoire, which was an interesting blend of folk and classical music. The instrument, elevated from its humble roots as the hardly-musical implement of the Russian muzhik, has much in common with the banjo in its journey through history. Playing the balalaika gave me a renewed interest in folk music, and that made me notice the banjo. After much hesitation -- banjos aren't cheap instruments -- I bought my first banjo. I first chanced upon the Scruggs style, which I learned avidly and stuck with for about two years; I eventually discovered frailing, which I also played in parallel to Scruggs for a while, but neither of those two styles really satisfied me, and I soon began to feel their limits. I would probably have ended up getting tired of the banjo if I hadn't discovered Classic Style, which I have been playing ever since. There is something about CB which just can't be beaten -- the sound, the repertoire, the research involved -- and a bit of a "Goldilocks factor" as well. Some styles of music are either too simple or too challenging -- CB always seems to be "just right". It's less of a chore than classical guitar, but it never gets boring and there are always new challenges to overcome. You can play pieces which are as simple as they come, or take on mighty finger-twisting challenges. That's what I love about classic banjo.

 

Anyhow, that's my blurt. Anyone else care to contribute?

[Mike Moss]

Thanks for sharing your story. I agree entirely with the stroke/guitar/modern distinction -- as a matter of fact, it would seem that Joe Morley lived the transformation directly: Clifford Essex pointed out, in 1904, that "Since Ossman first visited this vountry, some four years since, and showed us the latest vein of American banjo composition and rendition, Morley has completely altered his style and adopted this latest American mode".

I always think that the banjo, as an instrument, is still in its infancy: its style and repertoire have changed, evolved and diversified enormously ever since it entered mainstream culture, and that is why I enjoy classic banjo so much -- whereas some deride CB as an ossified, snobbish attempt at elevating an essentially popular instrument, I believe that we have only scratched the surface of the range of musical expression it is capable of. I believe Joe Morley thought so too --  the more I explore his repertoire, the more I realise Morley was basically having fun by exploring and imitating all kinds of musical styles and effects, from the most ragtimey, syncopated pieces to the daintiest common practice classical-style solos, catchy tunes and medleys, minstrel-style songs or exotic/novelty diversions. Ultimately, I believe that nothing is set in stone, and that CB, as an approach, not only as a repertoire/style, could have a brilliant future ahead of it.

[thereallyniceman]

Well said Mike, 

I, too, am sure that Classic Style can have a great future as well as a great past. With the wide accessibility of the internet, Youtube, web sites like ours and of course the superb contributors, the 'CB message' can be spread far and wide.  I think that the JOY of our style is that there is no right or wrong way to play. Rob could never hammer out tunes as I do and I could never sound like Rob. I prefer exactly the sound Rob not describes as extremely percussive, aggressive and lively. But the tonal quality that Rob can be squeeze from the banjo cannot fail to impress anyone!

The CB era has stretched a long way from post Minstrel to the modern day so there is plenty of music to play!  There are very few modern CB composers, so it is particularly good when people like Jody come up with their own piece. It is good  that Steve Harrison has produced arrangements of old pieces for our style too.

If Earl Scruggs had played Classic Style perhaps everyone would want to play our style now and even old CE banjos would be worth  $50,000 each , and I have five of them!!

Earl MacKillop?  How does that sound Rob?

;-)

[Rob MacKillop]

Forget the title. Just give me the money!